Local hall of fame nod bittersweet for Southwest's Kendric Burney

Being inducted into the Jacksonville-Onslow Sports Hall of Fame is a bittersweet moment for former Southwest standout Kendric Burney.

The three-sport star and former North Carolina cornerback is honored to be recognized. But, Burney said this award also comes with sadness, given he can’t share the experience with the late Phil Padgett, Southwest’s former football coach who passed away in December, 2020.

“This is the honor I wanted for a long time and it is actually the one that broke me down where I said I am finally done with everything as far as my playing career goes,” Burney said. “But the thing that really hurts me is that Coach Padgett is not going to be there. But just the fact that he knew this was going to happen before he passed away means a lot. This was something we always talked about.”

Burney will be inducted into the Jacksonville-Onslow Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday in a ceremony at the Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center in Jacksonville. He will be joined by former Lejeune athletic director Melba Roelofs, the 1950 and 1951 Lejeune basketball teams and coach Joseph Ellington and the 1982 Jacksonville football team.

Burney was a standout in football, basketball and baseball before he graduated in 2006. He was senior when he was named the first and still only N.C. High School Athletic Association Male Athlete of the Year from Onslow County. In 2013, Burney was named to the NCHSAA’s Top 100 Athletes list.

“Kendric could do anything," former football assistant coach and head basketball coach Tommy Barnes said. “He was a competitor and an all-around great athlete.”

Former Southwest athletic director and assistant football coach Dave McLeod said Burney had one thing that very few athletes had.

“I have coached some really good athletes, but I have never seen one who had the instincts that Kendric had,” McLeod said. “He was always in the right place at the right time.”

Burney filled up his trophy case before becoming a four-year starter for North Carolina football and a two-year baseball player for the Tar Heels.

He was all-conference in football, basketball and baseball all four years, he was the area’s co-player of year in football as a junior and won the award outright as a senior. Burney was also named the Most Valuable Player in the Stallions’ 49-21 win over Shelby in the state 2-A football championship game, Southwest’s second consecutive title and third overall.

He also played in the Shrine Bowl as a senior.

There was plenty of local hype surrounding Burney’s name as he entered high school, given his athleticism showed at younger levels and him being the son of former Southwest standout athlete Tyrone Burney. And he delivered.

“In every sport, there was a game my freshman year that let me know that I was there for a reason,” Burney said. “I had an interception when we played White Oak that ended the game (a 3-0 win) and when we played Richlands later in the season (10-6 win), they threw right at me in the end zone. I believe my best basketball year was my freshman year playing with those guys. And baseball was my sport and my first at bat was a home run."

Burney, though, credited his team for his early rise to stardom.

“The class that I played with my freshman year, having those guys there made things so much easier because they took me under their wing and taught me the ropes," he said. "And all of my coaches have a special place in my heart.”

Burney never let the hype get the best of him.

“Kendric was always coachable and always well-mannered,” Barnes said. “You didn’t have to teach him two or three times to do something. Even though he was natural, he always had the ability to see what we were saying.”

A solid player in basketball and baseball, the latter his childhood love, Burney’s most memorable impact was made on the football field. His “signature moment,” McLeod said, came on his 80-yard touchdown run with about a minute left that secured the Stallions’ 27-24 win over East Duplin in the 2004 East Regional semifinal.

It wasn’t just the run Stallions' fans remember, it was also his demeanor before and after the play that still holds a place in the Southwest community.

“They kicked a field goal with 1:27 left to go ahead and we had guys crying and cussing on the sidelines. I am laughing and I said ‘They gave me too much time,’” Burney said. “And I believed that.”

After Burney scored and the game was won, he was carried into the locker room by coaches because he passed out from exhaustion.

“I was completely drained,” he said. “I was supposed to go to Carolina then next day, but I didn’t go.”

Burney certainly left a lasting impression with his athletic prowess. But when asked about his legacy, he made it a point to honor his family for his success.

“I think about what my mom and dad gave up to make sure I had everything I wanted,” Burney said. “My mom and dad had chances to play ball, but at that time, money was a little funny. It still hasn’t hit me what I was able to do, but one thing I wanted to do was give me all and leave a legacy my parents could be proud of.”

Chris Miller can be contacted via email at chris.miller@jdnews.com. Follow him on twitter @jdnsports.

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Southwest's Kendric Burney makes Jacksonville-Onslow Sports Hall of Fame